Hockey came back to the Triangle on Sunday afternoon, and the Carolina Hurricanes’ prospects wasted no time giving the showcase some edge in Morrisville. The results won’t live on in any standings, but the opening game still offered plenty to watch - especially for a group trying to make its case before camp gets going.
Ruslan Khazheyev got the start in net for Carolina and, with only two goalies available, was set to handle the full game. The Hurricanes also said Stiven Sardarian, whom they acquired this offseason, would not be available for the showcase. Across the ice, TJ Semptimphelter got the nod for Nashville.
The first period had some real pop to it. Carolina captain Charles Alexis Legault made his presence felt right away with a huge hit on his first shift, then dropped the gloves with Kalan Lind midway through the frame. Khazheyev was sharp early, too, and did a good job keeping Brady Martin off the board as the period ended scoreless.
Nashville broke through early in the second when David Edstrom’s shot rang off the post and landed right on Michel Myloserdnyy’s stick, and he slipped it past Khazheyev’s left pad. Carolina settled in during the middle stretch and spent plenty of time pressing, but the finish never came. Then Cole O'Hara made the Canes pay on the power play, taking advantage of busted coverage and snapping one home from the right dot to make it 2-0.
Carolina finally got on the board when Zach Lansard jumped on a Predators turnover, skated in and beat Ben Hrebik, who had taken over midway through the second. The Hurricanes had chances to pull even, but they couldn’t cash in. Aiden Fink buried a breakaway with 74 seconds left, and Vitali Pinchuk added an empty-net goal to seal Nashville’s 4-1 win.
Even in defeat, Khazheyev gave Carolina something to like. He was one of the prospects worth watching closely before the showcase, and this outing offered a glimpse of why.
He made several excellent saves to keep the game within reach, and while you could point to the second or third goal, the bigger issue was the lack of support in front of him. It was the kind of performance that should leave the organization feeling good about him.
There were also flashes from the players with NHL experience. Rod Brind'Amour joined Mike Maniscalco and Tripp Tracy in the booth for the third period and praised the development of Charles Alexis Legault, Bradly Nadeau, and Felix Unger Sorum. All three are part of the leadership group this weekend and are in the mix for Opening Night roster spots.
Legault set the tone early, while Nadeau and Unger Sorum created chances late. They didn’t land on the scoresheet, but there was plenty to like in the way they competed.
The same went for Zach Lansard, who scored Carolina’s only goal and had a few other good looks before finally converting. Chase Lefebvre also had a breakaway stopped in the second and a 2-on-1 turned away in the third.
Carolina wraps up the showcase against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday, with that game also streamed on the team’s website. Training camp begins Thursday, and the preseason opener is set for Sunday in Sunrise.
In Other News...
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What makes Nadeaus situation more interesting now is the opening left by Seth Jarvis offseason surgery, which has forced the Hurricanes to at least consider a different look when the season begins. General manager Eric Tulsky has acknowledged Nadeau is in the conversation for an early call-up if the team needs one, and that kind of language usually means a player has moved from long-term project to immediate option. For a young forward still trying to carve out his place, that is a meaningful shift heading into camp. [Read more 🡒]
Hurricanes Prospects Opened With A Loss But One Battle Already Stands Out
The opening game of the 2026 Prospect Showcase at Lane Arena did not go the Hurricanes way, as Carolina dropped a 4-1 decision to Nashville, but there was still enough in the performance to make the trip worth watching. For a group of young players trying to separate themselves early in camp, the event offered the kind of live-setting evaluation teams value most, with players and the Chicago Wolves head coach all weighing in on how these showcases help with development.
Zachary Lansard supplied Carolinas lone goal, and the offense had to work for much of the night against a Predators group that controlled the scoreboard. In net, Ruslan Khazheyev turned in a run of notable stops and handled the full game, giving the Hurricanes at least one encouraging individual performance to build around even as the result left the larger picture unresolved. [Read more 🡒]